How CIOs should use LinkedIn: 14 tips for all executives using LinkedIn - and why you should use LinkedIn to enhance your career

How CIOs and other business leaders should use LinkedIn to build a network, increase their profile and further their careers

How CIOs should use LinkedIn. Great LinkedIn tips for executives. We explain how CIOs and other business leaders should use LinkedIn to build a network, increase their profile and further their careers.

So why should you use LinkedIn? As with all social media networks, it is important for a digital leader to be visible on the digital tools that colleagues, employees and peers use. Consider LinkedIn an opportunity to build your personal brand, and in turn to develop a richer network of contacts. LinkedIn is also a good source of information on both people and industry. And, finally, it is a great place from which to recruit - but only if you do it right. (Also see: How CIOs should use Facebook: 6 tips for all executives using Facebook.)

By Matt Egan & Chloe Dobinson

March 20, 2017

CIO UK

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1. Ways to get the best out of LinkedIn: Add a background photo

LinkedIn is most than just an online CV of your current experience and skills with presentation playing an important factor.

A cover photo such as the company logo or your personal website and blog, can help add personality to your LinkedIn profile. This will make it more memorable and professional to recruiters when hiring.

2. How CIOs should use LinkedIn: Make your profile findable, interesting, visual

Creating a LinkedIn profile feels like a chore - because it is one. But commit to this. First impressions last, and a half-hearted LinkedIn profile is worse than no presence at all. Get a professional headshot, and write a succinct and compelling headline that runs under your name. Make your short description creative and readable. Include keywords for your industry. Kick off your profile with a description that you would search for, find, and be impressed by. (See also: How CIOs should use Facebook.)

3. Ways to get the best out of LinkedIn: Add a profile badge

A profile badge is great way of personal branding on LinkedIn and way of connecting with other users.

The profile badge tool is customary allowing users to choose which social networks they want to include and be contacted on helping to promote your profile, personal website and blog and other social media accounts. This can help grow your network and traffic which can help promote your work, job opportunities and add credibility to your LinkedIn profile.

4. How CIOs should use LinkedIn: Make it a CV with benefits

You might think that the earlier parts of your career are uninteresting, but a good LinkedIn page is an in-depth page. Unlike a CV it is not better to be succinct - this is your opportunity to put everything out there. Take time to fill out the description areas. Add detail to each job posting going back as far as you can. Be sure to add in any contract work, or in-post projects you have been involved with, and also include unpaid roles such as school governer or charity trustee. It all adds to the rich picture of you. Finally, link out to articles you have written or that have been written about you.

5. How CIOs should use LinkedIn: Publish

One final way to enhnance your LinkedIn presence is self-publishing via LinkedIn Pulse. Writing blog posts on LinkedIn that target relevant sections of its vast user base can help you gain visibility in your industry, make new connections and find new career opportunities. If you want to use LinkedIn to boost your professional profile, increase your network and learn from peers, blogging about your professional experiences is a good place to start. And if you are blogging to boost your profile, LinkedIn seems like the obvious place for you to post.

6. Ways to get the best out of LinkedIn: Rearrange your profile

The presentation of your LinkedIn profile is vital for employers when hiring. The platform enables users to drag and drop sections of your profile such as employment, skills and experience helping to structure important information at the top of the profile for recruiters to read.

Individuals should check information and ensure they are no mistakes by keeping their references up to date, grammar mistakes and relevant links added before publishing online. This will help enhance your profile with employees being more likely to read your CV.

7. How CIOs should use LinkedIn: Connect, with strategy

Once you have a profile of which you can be proud, consider your connection strategy. You should always seek out existing professional and personal contacts. By all means link with friends, classmates, former co-workers, current co-workers and other people in your industry whom you know, and who may be interesting personally or professionally. That's your baseline. But then whenever you meet someone new, or have a positive professional interaction with someone inside or outside of your industry, send them a LinkedIn request. It's the virtual networking equivalent of swapping business cards. (See also: 53 UK CIOs to follow on Twitter.)

8. Ways to get the best out of LinkedIn: Use the job finder tool

LinkedIn is a professional business social network which connects industry experts.

LinkedIn Jobs is a great tool looking for new positions with their advanced search feature enabling users to look for their industry, location and job title.

The tool allows users to browse on mobile connected devices while also notifying users of potential jobs they may be interested in, when the application deadline is approaching and how many people have applied for the role. What’s more, their plugin ‘Apply with LinkedIn’ simplifies the way users can submit job applications with a one click option available. (Read next: 13 recruitment tips for CIOs looking to secure entry-level talent.)

9. How CIOs should use LinkedIn: Connect, with personality

Make each connection personal - especially when it is someone with whom you have interacted in the real world. Don't just send the 'I'd like to connect with you on LinkedIn' message, when you can spend 30 seconds to create a personalised message that references where you made contact, and explains why you would like to stay in touch.

10. How CIOs should use LinkedIn: Stay in touch

As with any connection - a LinkedIn connection requires warming up. So be prepared to network with LinkedIn contacts. This doesn't have to be exclusively via LinkedIn, and can be in the real world at events, and via other media such as email, social networks or the phone. But once you have made the connection with someone interesting and potentially useful, be sure to stay in touch.

11. Ways to get the best out of LinkedIn: Get endorsed for your skills

LinkedIn profile offers users skill endorsements which can help individuals get recognised for their strengths.

Skills endorsements only operate through your LinkedIn connections but can help endorse users skills listed on their profile or ones suggested by their network. The feature displays how many times you have been endorsed and whom. This is an effective way of personal branding keeping engaged with your network and adding credibility to your role.

13. Ways to get the best out of LinkedIn: Join network groups

LinkedIn network groups are great for connecting, sharing and posting content between users who share the same interests. The tool is private with hosted groups being allowed to view individual profiles’ before being accepted. This can help ensure group safety and help reduce the risk of cyberattacks and identity fraud.

Network groups allow individuals to send weekly messages to group members saving costs on email marketing, keep members connected while also up to date with relevant news.

14. Ways to get the best out of LinkedIn: Keep track of industry news

LinkedIn Pulse is a great publishing platform for users searching for trending content and relevant industry news. The tool tailors to your interests while also being able to find and follow specific publishers, industries and contributors.

LinkedIn Pulse allows users to sign up and receive daily or weekly updates on the most popular news while also being notified when something new is published by someone you’re following. This can help create ideas; increase leadership skills while also add credibility to your role when posting to network groups. (Read next: How CIOs should use Twitter: 17 tips for all business leaders using Twitter.)